Tunnel Hamas: The media told how Israel was going to fight terrorists underground

Hamas, recognized as a terrorist organization by the United States, EU, Germany and other countries, controls one of the largest underground communication systems in the world. Experts emphasize that the scale of the problem in gas is unique. The network, covering about 1300 tunnels and about 500 kilometers in length, creates difficulties for Israeli troops. Some of these tunnels are located at a depth of up to 70 meters underground and are limited in size - no more than two meters high and width.

These tunnels are not only served for moving fighters, but are also used to store weapons, food, water, energy generators and fuel. Experts also suggest that Hamas leaders can be underground. The specialist in the psychology of war from the London Royal College Michael Martin points to the complexity of hostilities in urban conditions, where the war is waged in three dimensions, including attacks from the bottom of the tunnels.

City battles are a difficult task, especially for the dangers of civilians. "People will shoot you from above, from high-rise buildings, as well as, of course, from the ground . . . And, of course, if you destroy the building, it will turn into a bunch of debris, which becomes a very convenient place to use it as a shelter, where on where You will be opened in response. So in reality the city is the hardest locality that the army may face, "Martin said.

Tunnels were first used for smuggling of goods, but over time Hamas has expanded its network of tunnels using labor and finance. Israel began the construction of protective structures along the border with the Gaza Sector after revealing the true size of the tunnels during the 2014 military operation. Detection of tunnels can be difficult, but different methods, including radar and other means of detection, are used for this purpose.

Tunnels can be detected when tracking Hamas fighters, using data on their smartphones, as well as during patrolling. Israel has developed special units and taught its military for action in tunnels, including the use of special sensors and robots. However, the fights in the tunnels remain difficult because of limitation of space, conditions and inaccessibility.

Experts believe that the destruction of underground infrastructure in the Gaza sector will require a long and large -scale operation, especially in war in the city, and can take months. According to John Spencer, a leader of research dedicated to combat actions in urban conditions, at the Institute of Modern War of the US Military Academy in the West Point, no other military structure in the world has carried out such serious preparatory work for fighting in tunnels as a tile.

In her article for The Financial Times, published in October, Daphne Richmond-Barak stressed that Israel would need a long and large operation, both in air and ground format to eliminate underground infrastructure in the Gaza Sector. According to Richmond-Barak's statement, the Israeli army has the opportunity to destroy, flood or otherwise block the tunnel, but this seems extremely difficult, especially in the city war, and the implementation of this mission may require many months.